Open top display refrigerator



June l, 1948. c, B, SHREVE 2,442,515

OPEN TOP DISPLAY REFRIGERATOR Filed July 2, 1945 -2 Sheets-Sheet l a 8 L l2 L10 zz 9 /3-\ j] e 2 1 L- J8 I4 J9 ./7 l V6 I 'i i||| v||\ Il] I, l Z

June 1,1948. B. lsl-{REVE 2,442,515

OPEN TOP DISPLAY REFRIGERATOR Filed July 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 um Glovckbhreve B5 QV Patented June l, 1948 Clifford B. Shreve, Niles,

Fixture Corporation, of Michigan Mich., assignor to Tyler Niles, Mich., a corporation Application July 2, 1945, Serial No. 602,900

(Cl. S12-138) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to refrigerators and is more particularly concerned with refrigerators or display cases having an open top with a chamber below in which the goods to be sold are held and displayed, and from which the customer may select what is desired by free access thereto through the open top.

The present invention is directed to a novel structure superimposed above the open upper side of the refrigerator and, preferably, toward the' back thereof, which, in one position, usually carrying a, mirror, will add to the appearance of the refrigerator and reiiect the merchandise held therein, and in another position, make the refrigerator at its rear portion and at the open upper side accessible for reservicing by clerks or employees of the store. Such reservicing, with my invention, is made from the back of the refrigerator and not from the front as has been previously done. The reservicing or replenishment of the merchandise which the refrigerator chamber holds, as previously accomplished at the front of the refrigerator, required that a truck or other vehicle on which the merchandise was carried must traverse the aisles in which the customers are standing or walking and, when stopped at the front of the refrigerator, either discommodes or forces the customer away; while with my invention the truck or other vehicle on which the merchandise is carried to the refrigerator is back of the refrigerator, out of the way and out of sight. n

The invention for the attainment of the objects and purposes stated may be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section through the upper portion of an open top refrigerator equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary section showing the position of the reflecting mirror and the back carrying it at the time that the refrigerator is being replenished from the rear thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section through one end of the superimposed structure located above the main refrigerator casing.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

'I'he refrigerator structure may be of a regular and conventional form, having a vertical back I, a vertical front 2 of less height than the back, and vertical ends 3 extending upwardly substantially to the edge of the back I, and with a transparent plate of glass or the like at 4 between the upper edge ofthe front 2 and the upper end of tical ends l, one extending above each of the ends i the refrigerator. Back of the front and below the open top is a chamber 5, open at the upper end or top of .the refrigerator, in which the articles of merchandise, indicated in dotted lines at 6, are held and displayed and from which the customer selects and takes what is to be purchased.

Toward the rear of the refrigerator and extending above it is a superstructure comprising ver- 3 of the main body of the refrigerator, between which is a top 8 at the front extending downwardly as indicated at 9 for a short distance. The top structure is preferably made of sheet metal and has the inner or under plate thereof at its rear edge directed downwardly and rearwardly for a short distance, as indicated at IIl, then bent horizontally forward as at I I for a short distance, and terminates in an upturned lip I2 as shown (Figs. 1 and 2).

At the inner side of each end l of the superstructure an upper headed pin i3 is secured, the shank extending through the inner portion of the side I and the head being located back thereof, substantially directly below which is a second headed pin I4, its head being at the inner end oi' the shank instead of at the outer end as with the pin I3, though such specific structure is not of any essential importance. Said pins I3 and it are located relatively close to the rear open side of the superstructure.

A back l5 having a length slightly less than the horizontal distance between the inner ysides of the sides 1, at its front face is equipped preferably with a reflecting mirror I6, though so far as the present invention is concerned said mirror does not necessarily need to be used. At the rear of the back I5 brackets made from sheet metal are secured, one adjacent each end of the back, having inturned flanges I'I connected by screws to the back and triangular shaped flanges I8 extending rearwardly therefrom. The rear edges of the anges I8 are provided with lower and upper slots I9 and 20, the slot I9 being disposed substantially at right angles to the rear edge of the flange I8, and the upper slot 20 having a horizontal forwardly extending part at the inner end of which is an upwardly extending branch as shown. At the upper edge of the back I5 and connected thereto and extending rearwardly a bar 2| is secured, provided with a downwardly turned hook at its rear end. Lighting means, indicated generally at 22, may be mounted at the rear of the depending front portion 9.

In the position of the back I'5 as shown in Fig. 1, the rearwardly extending flanges I8 of the two from the pins I3 which are seated in the slots at 20, the Shanks of the pins Il being received in the slots I9. This holds the back in an upwardly and forwardly inclined position with the mirror located to advantageously reflect the merchandise 6 below. This is the position which the back and mirror (if used) will occupy normally.

When the merchandise is to be replenished said back and attached mirror are turned to the position shown in Fig. 2. The lower portions of the flanges 'I8 of the brackets described are disconnected from the pins I4 and the back I5 is swung about the horizontal axis of the pins I3 and the hook of bar 2| engaged with the lip I2. thereby holding said back member I5 in a downwardly and outwardly inclined position as in Fig. 2. the open upper end of the refrigerator being accessible both at the front and at the rear. Merchandise to replenish the stock may then be placed in the compartment 5 from the rear without discommoding customers who may be selecting and removing merchandise at the front of the refrigerator. After the replenishment has been accomplished the back member I5 is returned to brackets are suspended its initial position as in Fig. 1.

The construction described is of a simple character, but has proven very desirable and effective in use. While it is illustrated as applied to open scope of the claims appended hereto which define 35 Number the invention.

is of course apparent that it 1,644,675

I claim:

1. In a construction-as described, a merchandise holding case having a compartment open at the top and accessible from front or rear, a superstructure extending above said case and having front and rear openings, a panel for carrying a mirror normally closing the rear opening in the superstructure and inclined forwardly and upwardly over the top opening in the case, said panel being pivoted near its top on said superstructure whereby it may be swung to an upl wardly rearwardly inclined position over said top opening in the case and partially closing the front opening in the superstructure and releasable means for retaining said panel in either ot said positions.

2. The elements of claim 1in which said pivotal connection of the panel has means for providing vertical movement of the panel.

CLIFFORD B. SHREVE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,507,453 Berman Sept. 2, 1924 Huening Oct. 11, 1927 2,093,728 King Sept. 21, 1937 2,346,368 Edwards Apr. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date 360,221 Italy June 14, 1938 

